Steamboat Pilot & Today

Nine of Steamboat Springs' most civic-minded businesspeople and businesses will be recognized Wednesday when the winners of the annual Navigator Awards are named during the annual luncheon of the Steamboat Springs Chamber Resort Association.

The chamber and Steamboat Pilot & Today, sponsors of the awards, named four finalists for businessperson of the year award and five in the category for outstanding business of the year award.

The guest speaker will be University of Colorado economics professor Richard Wobbekind, director of the Business Research Division at the Leeds School of Business at CU.

His responsibilities include preparing an annual forecast of the Colorado economy, and his talk in Steamboat will focus on those issues as well as a glimpse at the economy of Routt County.

Wobbekind, who is known for his engaging speaking style, is also associate dean for external relations at CU. His office recently completed the economic development strategic plan for the state of Colorado. He is a member of the Governor's Revenue Estimating Advisory Committee as well as other boards.

The individual finalists are Jim Swiggart of the Tennis Center at Steamboat Springs, Scott Glackman, co-publisher of The Local; Ty Lockhart of F.M. Light & Sons and Steve Dawes of Dawes and Associates.

Finalists among the businesses included Yampa Valley Medical Center, PostNet, B&K distributing, Grease Monkey/Big O Tires, Steamboat Ski & Bike Kare and The Artisans Market.

The Artisans Market has nurtured the careers of many local artists and craftspeople by providing an outlet for their work.

Owners Mike Parra and Harry Martin at Ski & Bike Kare set a new benchmark for historic downtown architecture with the opening this year of their new store at Fifth Street and Lincoln Avenue.

Grease Monkey/Big O Tires has become a key element in the burgeoning West Steamboat commercial district the past few years.

B&K continues to set high standards for community involvement by providing refreshments for many fund-raisers benefiting local nonprofits.

PostNet, owned by Kathy and Terry Stokes, is the top-selling franchise among all of the stores in that national chain.

YVMC has risen to regional prominence by consistently investing in the newest technology to provide high levels of medical care in a small market.

Among the individuals, Dawes has spearheaded the movement to create a Local Marketing District that holds the promise of creating a stable funding mechanism for ski season jet flights.

Lockhart is serving as vice president of Main Street Steamboat and for many years was chairman of the Steamboat Mountain Soccer Tournament, which has grown into a major piece of the summer tourism economy.

Glackman is one of the founders of Steamboat's alternative semimonthly paper, The Local, and serves on the Tax Policy Advisory Board. He also volunteers for Partners of Routt County.

Swiggart has been a tireless promoter of recreational and competitive tennis, bringing many families to town for a part of their summer vacation.

Two Republican candidates for the state legislature, state Sen Jack Taylor R-Steamboat Springs, and state Rep. Al White R-Winter Park, have confirmed they will attend the luncheon, a chamber spokeswoman said.

-- To reach Tom Ross call 871-4205

or e-mail tross@steamboatpilot.com